Report on the World Tournament Final Match and Award Ceremony of the GUNPLA Builders World Cup 11th Tournament with a Surprise Performance by BACK-ON!

The World Tournament Final Match and Award Ceremony of the official GUNPLA world competition, GUNPLA Builders World Cup 11th Tournament (GBWC 11th), organized by BANDAI SPIRITS, was held on Saturday, December 16th at Gundam Base Tokyo.

The GBWC11th was held in three categories: The U-14 Course, the U-20 Course, and the OVER-21 Course. For the world tournament final, 12 works from the U-14 Course and 16 works each from the U-20 Course and OVER-21 Course, totaling 44 works, advanced.
During the award ceremony, the top three positions in each category were announced. In addition, the judging panel, consisting of Mr. Manabu Kimura, Editor-in-Chief of Monthly Hobby Japan, Mr. Tomoyasu Furuya, Editor-in-Chief of Monthly Model Graphics, and Mr. Akihiko Yasunaga from BANDAI SPIRITS Hobby Division, provided commentary on the winning entries.

Furthermore, as a surprise guest, BACK-ON, known for contributing theme songs to the Gundam Build Series, made an appearance. They performed the Gundam Build Metaverse opening theme Hikari to Kaze and the Gundam Build Fighters opening theme Nibun no Ichi. TEEDA, a member of the group, delivered words of encouragement to representatives from various countries in English, while KENJI03 did so in Chinese, filling the venue with excitement.

Please enjoy the interviews we’ve conducted with the champions and the judges' remarks on each award-winning work.

Please note that the works participating in the world tournament final will be on display at Gundam Base Tokyo until around mid-January 2024. Be sure to check them out if you happen to visit.

<1st Place>
Work: Bond From Above
Area: Canada
Builder: Simon Lam
Comments: A Torohachi of this size doesn't exist as a product, and the craftsmanship is so high that it's challenging to understand how it was made. Upon closer inspection, parts from the PG Gundam and the treads from the MG Guntank are used, showcasing a high level of kitbashing skills. The craftsmanship, capturing the intricacies of the cockpit and the moment Banagher and Mineva hold hands, is impressive. The sculpting ability to translate these details into the work, creating a scene reminiscent of an anime moment, is truly moving.

<2nd Place>
Work: A Battle of A Baoa Qu
Area: Mainland China
Builder: WU JINMING
Comments: Top-level fabrication, painting, and composition. Despite being inspired by mechs from the One Year War, the builder utilized parts from non-Universal Century GUNPLA, such as 00 and SEED, demonstrating an exceptional kitbashing of elements. The various sub-flight systems, created by mixing different GUNPLA, seamlessly blend without any noticeable discrepancies. The overall quality stood out in every aspect.

<3rd Place>
Work: Fully Activate G-Self
Area: Taiwan
Builder: EVO MODELER
Comments: Based on a 1/100 G-Self, which is not originally available as a product, the builder skillfully repurposed parts from other GUNPLA. Their remarkable technical skill is evident in seamlessly avoiding any sense of incongruity. The depiction of the G-Self completing construction and entering a GUNPLA battle effectively captures tension and excitement. Additionally, the use of a pattern resembling a cutting mat, laid beneath and unfolding into a hexagon, conveys a sense of transitioning from one's physical desk space to the digital realm, showcasing ingenuity.

At the end of the award ceremony, a video message from GBWC Executive Committee Chairman, Master Katsumi Kawaguchi, was screened. He expressed, “It has been four years since the last physical event, and there may be participants here for the first time. Although detailed rankings and results are available, I hope everyone uses them as references and does their best in the next competition. Today, with many creators gathered in person, I encourage you to exchange various information and communicate with each other,” taking advantage of the opportunity for finalists to engage in information exchange.

Furthermore, Chief Judge Yasunaga, reflecting on the competition and expressing the high level of excitement he felt throughout, stated, “With this rare opportunity for a physical event, seeing actual works has heightened our excitement. Many pieces inspired by THE WITCH FROM MERCURY participated, showcasing the modelers' enthusiasm in promptly turning new Gundam works into GUNPLA pieces. The level of craftsmanship and painting has risen in each area, and the ideas are outstanding. I felt that there are infinite possibilities in expressing GUNPLA.”

The proceedings of the World Tournament Final are currently available on the BANDAI SPIRITS official YouTube channel.

Details about the 12th tournament, the next event, will be announced at a later date, so stay tuned for updates.

Q: Please tell us how long it took you to create your piece and the points you want people to pay attention to.
Passakorn Phosaingam (1st Place in U-14 Course): "It took me about 3 to 4 months. I struggled with how to make it look like it was flying."

haru (1st Place in U-20 Course): "It took me 4 months. The most important thing to look at is the visual impact. I want people to feel not only the dynamic appearance but also the emotional exchanges between the characters."

Simon Lam (1st Place in OVER-21 Course): "It took me 4 years. I started building it before the pandemic, but there was a pause during the pandemic, and I resumed afterward. The 1/20 Torohachi doesn't exist, and there are no decals for it, so I faced challenges in those aspects."

Q: Tell us about your history with GUNPLA and what motivated you to start building GUNPLA.
Passakorn Phosaingam (1st Place in U-14 Course): “I started building about 4 to 5 years ago. I began building GUNPLA because, well, I love Gundam.”

haru (1st Place in U-20 Course): "I started about 10 years ago, around the time Gundam Build Fighters began. It was enjoyable to build while watching the show.”

Simon Lam (1st Place in OVER-21 Course): "Around 12 years ago. I was in Hong Kong at that time and was captivated by the fantastic characters."

(Gundam Info Editorial Team)